We’re “Saving Summer In A Jar” with this recipe for Blueberry Jam. Talk about easy to make…how about only 3 ingredients to make this quick and easy jam that is just bursting with flavor. Seriously, home canning and food preservation just doesn’t get much easier than this.

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Blueberry Jam Recipe

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This is another quick and easy recipe to use for getting started in your home food preservation projects. Seriously, all you really need are just Blueberries and Granulated Sugar. No pectin is needed, nothing else, zip..zap…zadda….just TWO ingredients. Of course, we did manage to complicate the recipe just a little by adding one more ingredient. It’s just our way it seems. I added a Tablespoon of freshly squeezed Lemon Juice to the batch. It’s not needed at all but, its like adding a little Lemon zest to your other recipes….it just knocks it all up a punch.

Blueberries are so good for your health. They come in numerous varieties from tart to sweet and are available from late May until late July or early August here in the South. The only real problem is that it’s just usually so hot when it’s time to pick them. We’ve seen some really hot days this year and have broken several records for the hottest days ever in our area. Ouch.

Growing up as a kid, we often would find Blueberries growing in the wild along the edge of a dirt road or out in the edge of the woods. They were so delicious to just stand there and pick them off the bushes and pop them into your mouth, eating them fresh off the bush. Then, you’d run home to grab a bucket and go pick some more for mama. You just knew that if you could gather enough of them, she would make a Blueberry Pie or Blueberry Cobbler.

It didn’t even matter…at the time…that you were probably going to be scratching little bumps for the next several days. Somehow, we always seemed to forget that little part from one summer to the next. Red-bugs…or chiggers, must love Blueberries as well. In the wild, you almost always got “eat up” with red-bugs when picking fresh Blueberries. They are very irritating and we’d scratch them for days trying to dig them…or whatever it was…out of our skin. It makes me itch just thinking about.

These days however, you can find numerous Blueberry Farms with neat rows of bushes that make picking a lot more easier…and….pretty much red-bug free. Gotta love that. I get mine at a place not too far from home called Blueberry Hill U-Pick. They are open from sun-up to sun-down Monday – Saturday and “after church” on Sundays from 1:00pm to 8:00pm. That way, you can pick them late in the evening when the day begins to cool down.

Blueberry Hill U-Pick has 9 different varieties of berries and, they had their first small crop of Strawberries this year. They also have a small retail center on-site that sells about anything Blueberry. From Jams to Jellies, Salsa to 100% Blueberry Juice…you’ll find it available during the growing season. I picked about 2 pints this past Friday and bought a few more to make this Blueberry Jam. I also picked up my first loaf of Blueberry Bread that is made fresh for the retail store. I couldn’t wait to spread on some of my homemade Blueberry Jam. Talk about something good for breakfast, toast up a slice of bread and then spread it all over with a heavy layer of fresh Blueberry Jam. You’ll start scratching right away……your head that is….wondering why you’ve waited so long to make your own Blueberry Jam. Ready to give it a try? Let’s Get Cooking!!!

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Blueberry Jam Recipe: You’ll need these ingredients.

This recipe is adapted from the Ball Blue Book Guide To Preserving.

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We’ll begin by washing our canning jars and the jar bands in some hot soapy water. You can reuse canning jars and the bands for the tops but, you can NOT reuse the lids. Just place the jars and bands in your sink and give them a good scrubbing to make sure there aren’t any leftover food particles inside. Also, be sure to check each jar…even new ones…for any cracks or chips. Carefully inspect the top of the jars to be sure they haven’t been chipped anywhere. After washing, rinse the jars and set them aside.

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Setup your stove for the canning process. We’ll start at the back left burner. It’s hard to tell it from the photo but, that smaller sauce pan on the back left is where I place my bands and lids. The larger sauce pan on the back right burner is where I keep extra water heating to add to the canning pot as needed. The left FRONT burner is the pot where I’ll actually be cooking the blueberries for the jam..and…the large pot on the right FRONT burner is my enameled canning pot. It’s already about 3/4ths of the way filled with water that is heating up to sterilize the jars.

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The lids and bands are placed in warm water in a smaller sauce pan. I keep this on my lowest heat setting for the stove top. The lids only need to warm up a bit and should never be placed in very hot or boiling water. I always set this up at the beginning and just leave them in water until I’m ready to place them on the filled jars.

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As the water begins to heat up in the canner, carefully add the jars to the water. I just lay the jars on their sides as I place them into the water.

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The jars must be totally submerged at all times through the sterilization process. Once the jars are under water, let the pot come on up to a boil and boil the jars for at least 15 minutes to sterilize them. Just leave them in the canner until you’re ready to begin filling them with the jam mixture. Keep a check on them throughout the next steps. Add more of the water you’re keeping heated on the back burner as it’s needed.

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Prepare the Blueberries:

You’ll need to sort through your Blueberries and remove any bad berries, leaves, little stems or other objects. I’d suggest you stop up your sink, place a bowl and a colander inside and just sort through them a handful at a time. Or, you might place them on a cookie sheet that has a lip all around…otherwise….you’ll be playing pickup as berries roll off your counter top. These little things can be amazing once they get in motion. It may be weeks later before you find that one that got away. Trust me on that one.

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Now, you’ll need to lightly wash them. I ran some cold water in the sink and just used my hands to swirl them around a bit. Maybe I just like to play in water….I don’t know. Of course, the fun part is collecting them and placing them back in the colander after you’ve washed them. Not only can they roll across the counter top and across the floor…they can swim AWAY…just as easily. Just have fun with them. They like it too I think.

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Once I’d “caught” them all and had them in the colander….I rinsed them again under cool running water.

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Transfer the drained berries over to the pot you’re planning to cook them in. Then, I used this potato masher to mash them up a bit. You could run them through a food processor for just a second or two if you wanted. It’s entirely up to you. You just want to break up the berries to let the juice out. A food processor will chop them up a little finer but, we want to retain some texture of the berries for our jam…so…don’t over process them.

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Mash them up to the desired consistency.

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Next, you’ll want to measure your crushed berries. I scooped them out of the cooking pot into a 2 cup measuring cup and then poured them into another bowl. My 5 one pint baskets of Blueberries yielded 6 cups of crushed berries.

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Pour the berries back into the pot you want to cook them in and place it over medium heat on your stove top.

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To the 6 cups of crushed berries, I’m going to add 4 cups of sugar. You may need to adjust this a bit based on the final amount of crushed Blueberries you end up with. Jam needs to be made in small batches for best results.

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WOW…that’s a lot of sugar in that pot. 4 cups of sugar completely covered my berries when I added it all in. But, just go ahead and add it all at one time. The berries beneath the sugar are already starting to heat up and the sugar has started to dissolve around the back edge as you can see.

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While the sugar is starting to melt, squeeze the lemon. I’m adding 2 Tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice to my recipe. While it’s NOT required, I think it just gives a little “punch” to the flavor of the berries.

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Add the lemon juice to the sauce pan. Keep a close watch on the mixture and keep stirring down the sugar as it dissolves.

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Prepare the area you’ll be using to fill the jars.

You just need a little space on your table or counter top to set everything up. Once the berries have cooked, you’ll want to move as quickly as possible to fill the jars, add the lids and bands and get them ready for the water bath process. The proper tools will also help make the job go a bit smoother. I’ve got my jar lifter on the left, then my funnel, bubble remover and magnetic lid lifter all ready to go. I also have found that placing my empty jar in a plate next to the cooked jam aides in clean up after I’m finished. After canning a few items, you’ll find your own little way of doing things that will work best for you. If you’re like me however, a little more SPACE in the kitchen would be very nice.

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Once the sugar is fully dissolved, RAISE the heat on the sauce pan and cook them as quickly as possible. You’ll need to be able to stay with them pretty much all the time at this point. You’ll want to stir them often as they cook to prevent any sticking to the bottom and scorching. They would also boil over the edge if you let them. That’s one MESS you don’t want so, avoid the possibility of that ever happening and just stay with them from here on out.

We’re going to cook the syrup of the juice and sugar down to a “gel” point. The time needed to do this will vary based on the amount of juice that came out of your berries and the temperature at which you’re cooking. While a thermometer isn’t necessary, I clipped one onto the pot just to watch the process. They only got up to about 205º on the candy thermometer.

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Here they are at a pretty good rolling boil, one that can’t be stirred down. You may need to adjust the heat back a bit to keep them from boiling over the top of the pan.

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There are several ways to test the jam for proper “gel.” I hope to do a more in-depth article on that one day that you can use for reference. Here, I’m using a saucer that I had placed in the freezer of my refrigerator earlier so it could get cold. I’m constantly lifting juice up with my stirring spoon to watch how it drips off the spoon. As it begins to thicken, you can tell the difference and will learn to SEE that difference the more you make jams and jellies. The purpose of the cold saucer is to drip a few drops of the hot liquid onto the cold surface. Watch how it reacts after a few seconds as the jam begins to quickly cool down on the cold saucer. After about 20 seconds or so, pull your finger through the juice. If it leaves a trail and doesn’t quickly run back together….your jam is ready. If it does run back together, you need to continue to let it cook.

I highly suggest that you search out some more information on this process of the making of any jam and jellies for now so that you’ll have a better understanding of what to watch for.

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When the jam has reached the “gel point,” remove the pan from the stove and get ready to fill the jars. I didn’t have any foam on my jam at this point. Any foam should be removed though if you see it. It will just make for a better presentation of the finished product. Just use a spoon to scoop it off and discard it.

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Just before I removed the jam from the stove, I removed my jars from the boiling water in the canner. I set them on a clean towel and have them easily accessible for the filling process. Here, I’ve placed one jar on a plate next to the pot of jam and, I’ve inserted my funnel. Let’s fill some jars OK?

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Stir the jam in the pot one more time. Then, use a ladle or large spoon and begin filling the jar. Careful….it’s HOT.

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HEADSPACE: As we’ve mentioned in our other posts about canning, headspace is the amount of space between the top of the product IN the jar and the TOP of the jar. This neat little tool, that hard to see blue thing up there….has sections measured off to check the headspace. For the Blueberry Jam, the recommended amount of headspace is 1/4 of an inch. The headspace needed will vary from one canning project to the next so always check for the proper amount needed. I was a bit short on this one and just took a Tablespoon and added a bit more until I had the proper amount in the jar.

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The other end of that notched tool can be used to remove any air bubbles from your jars. I prefer to use these wooden skewers for that task. You can buy them in packs of about 100 for just about a dollar. They make great testers for cakes and I find them also very well suited for removing bubbles from my jars. Just insert the skewer in the jar, run it around the edges and around through the middle a couple of times. Any bubbles at the bottom of the jar, will follow the skewer up to the top and burst. Work out as many bubbles as you can see. It’s one of the things the judges look for at fairs and competitions so I try a little harder to eliminate them than most folks do I’m sure.

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You’ll need a damp cloth for this part. Use the cloth to carefully wipe around the top outside edges of the jars and the very top rim itself. Any jam on the outside could affect the proper seal. Any jam on the top rim could cause the rubber part of the lid to not make good contact and could also prevent a proper seal. Make sure it’s good and clean.

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Use your magnetic wand to lift one of the lids out of the warm water. Gently shake off the water but, don’t try to wipe the lid clean. Just place the lid on top of the jar and center it into position on the jar rim.

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Use the magnetic wand again to retrieve one of the jar bands. Gently lower it over the lid and make sure that it screws on without resistance. Just use a gentle finger tight pressure to secure the band. Don’t force it down tight. Repeat these steps until all the jars are filled.

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When the jars are filled, place them in the rack of your canner. The racks are made so their handles will hang onto the top lip of the canner itself. Place it in this position first and fill the rack with your jars. Use the jar lifter to add them to the hot water and to keep them sitting up straight. Try not to let them fall over as you do this but…don’t fret if it does. It happens to me all the time it seems. I think it’s the quality of the rack I’m using. It only has one wire under the jar and they just don’t want to sit up correctly on that rack. I’ve looked for a new one locally but haven’t found it. Guess I’ll be ordering one off the Internet…about the time I’m finished needing one this season. Wait…wasn’t I going to do that LAST year? Yeah…I think I had intended to do so.

WATER BATH: The process we’re using to make our Blueberry Jam is called the Water Bath Method. It’s fine for most jams and jellies. Another process uses a Pressure Canner to can the jars under pressure. For safety reasons, some produce and meats being canned require the Pressure Canner Method. We could go into a lot more detail about it but, I suggest you seek more info from your local Cooperative Extension Service or your local library…or hey…maybe here on the Internet using some reliable sources.

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Carefully lift the handles and the rack and lower the jars into the canner. The jars need to be covered by about 2 inches of water at all times. That’s why I keep another pot of water heating on the back burner. It only takes a few seconds to get back up to a rolling boil after adding more hot water. I just keep filling up the smaller pot as I use up the hot water. It boils away kind of quickly so keep a watch on it.

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Once the water is back to a rolling boil, place the lid on the canner and start counting the time needed to process the jam.

This time will vary based on the Altitude of where you live. I need 15 minutes for the water bath process and this jam. You’ll need to adjust accordingly based on your location.

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After the correct amount of time, remove the lid. Use some oven mitts or tongs and CAREFULLY lift the rack up and hook the handles back onto the top lip of the canner. It’s recommended that you let the jars REST here for about 5 minutes before removing them. You may even hear one or two of them PING at this point as they seal.

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Using the jar lifter again, remove the jars from the canner. Set the jars on a towel spread over your counter top and in a location away from drafts. You certainly wouldn’t want to set one of those hot jars on your bare Granite or Marble counter top. The jar might burst open if you did so, make sure you have a towel handy to set them on.

NOTE: The jars need to remain undisturbed in this location for 24 hours. Do not pick them up or move them if at all possible during this time. And, DO NOT press down on the top of the jar to see if it has sealed until 24 hours have passed. When the time is up, you can press the middle top portion of the jar to make sure it’s properly sealed. The top should already be down and not make any movement or noise when you press the center of the lid. If it springs back up, the jar didn’t seal. The product inside is still good but the jar will need to be refrigerated and used first.

Properly sealed jars may be wiped clean and moved to a dark cool area for storage of up to 12 months or possibly longer.

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After I started my adventure into home food preservation, I quickly realized that any time someone shared a jar of their labors…they must really think a good deal about me. It’s fun and rewarding to make your own products like this…not to mention that you know exactly what goes INSIDE each jar. Still, it does take some time and effort to complete the process so, next time someone hands you a jar from their home pantry….give them a BIG HUG and say Thank You Very Much.

You can “Save Summer In A Jar” by making your own homemade Blueberry Jam. These little jars make great gifts for any time of the year. Decorate them with cloth or paper jar toppers, labels, etc. and show someone just how much you appreciate them.

We're "Saving Summer In A Jar" with this recipe for Blueberry Jam. Talk about easy to make...how about only 3 ingredients to make this quick and easy jam that is just bursting with flavor. Seriously, home canning and food preservation just doesn't get much easier than this.

Ingredients

6 cups of crushed Blueberries

4 cups of Sugar

2 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice

Instructions

Wash jars and bands in hot soapy water, rinse and set aside.

Setup your stove for the hot water bath process.

Place washed jars in canner filled with water and boiling slightly.

Jars need to boil for 15 minutes to sterilize.

Sort through the berries, removing stems and any bruised berries.

Wash berries by swirling them in cool water.

Place berries in a large sauce pot, mash with a potato masher.

Measure crushed berries to determine proper propotion of sugar.

Place the berries on your stove over medium heat.

Add the sugar.

Add the lemon juice.

Stir until sugar is dissolved.

Bring heat up and cook berries as quickly as possible.

Continue to stir the berries as they boil, don't let them boil over.

Check for proper gel. When ready, remove from heat.

Ladle jam into the jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.

Insert wooden skewer and run around inside edge to remove air bubbles.

Wipe the top rim of the jar with a clean damp cloth.

Center a new lid over the jar.

Twist on a jar band and tighten finger tight. Do not force.

Place the closed jars in your canner rack, lower the rack and make sure the jars are covered with about 2 inches of water.

Cover and let process in this water bath for 15 minutes or as needed for your local Altitude.

Lift rack and secure handles on lip of canner. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Use a jar lifter and remove the jars. Set them on a folded towel in a draft free location.

Do not move or disturb the jars for at least 24 hours.

After 24 hours, check jars for proper seal.

Notes

Any jars that do not seal are still safe to eat but should be refrigerated and used first. Properly sealed jars should be stored in a cool dark place. Sealed jars should be good for at least a year or slightly longer. Enjoy!

Your Comments: What’s your favorite jam or jelly to make? Have you been wanting to give home canning a try but still just can’t seem to muster up the nerve to jump in? I’d love to hear your Comments in the section below. It will only take a moment for you to let us know that you stopped by. Actually, it’s the ONLY way we have of knowing that you’ve seen our recipes. All the comments are moderated so it may take a day or so for your comments to appear. I personally read each and every one and try to reply back as often as I can. So, share some of your home canning experiences with us below. Thank you in advance. I hope you’ll tell your friends about Taste of Southern and help us spread the word about our home on the Internet. At the present time, we’re adding a new recipe each Monday morning. Please visit with us again soon.

Be Blessed!!!
Steve

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Disclaimer:The steps listed in our canning and freezing section are to be used as guidelines to help you make your own Homemade Blueberry Jam. The Water Bath canning process has been around for a long time. Times change, procedures for safety change. This information is the best we can provide at the date it was first presented. I highly suggest that if you have an interest in preserving foods for you, your friends and/or your family, that you seek out more information than just what we’ve presented here. Stuff happens. Things go wrong, errors are made, sometimes jams and jellies don’t set. There’s more information available than what we have given here. Seek it out and learn all that you can about safe and proper home preservation of foods. If your jam doesn’t set, it could possibly be processed again and given a second chance of doing what it’s suppose to do. More information, even classes, are readily available through your local Cooperative Extension Service location. You’ll find one pretty close to just about anywhere you live. Even though I’ve won some awards for my Food Preservation, I do not hesitate in encouraging to learn all that you can and proceed with safety….knowing you’ve done all you can to protect anyone that you share your goodies with. Thank you once again.

Hello Steve,
Read your newsletter email this morning and wanted to let you know that canning is on the rise again, so please continue to share your canning recipes. I made your peach butter, bread and butter pickles and cinnamon pickles last summer. Also made some blueberry lemon jam last year that was wonderful.

Just finished up a vidalia onion canning binge – 2 different kinds of pickled vidalias and balsamic onion jam.

This is the first time EVER, I come on a site that treats people decently. People can ask dumb questions; people ask questions they easily can find the answer on Google,not YOU! Every question gets attended to and with a decent, clear answer. KUDOS! and as the saying goes: “There are no dumb questions, only dumb answers”! Thank you, Steve.

Hi W8post, Thank you for the very nice comments, I sincerely appreciate them. I do my best, but can’t answer them all. I’m thankful you’ve found Taste of Southern, and do hope that you will stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

It was great hearing from you again. Glad to know you are ok. It is hot here in Mint Hill, NC too, although the last couple of days have been cooler. I have a question, can you substitute splenda or stevia for the sugar with good results? Diabetic.

Hi Marilyn, I’ve never made this with Splenda, but I understand it can be used instead of sugar in most recipes. You use it cup for cup if making the switch. You might also want to check into some of the low sugar pectins and make it with real sugar instead. I’ve often heard it said that it’s better to have just a taste of the real stuff as opposed to using a sugar substitute. Not pushing that you do it, just saying. Thank you for your visits to Taste of Southern. I hope you’ll visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Hi Steve. I missed you during your brief respite. Hope you are well and keeping cool. I love, love blueberries and l just eat them out of hand. Your canning recipe is very well laid out. I am not yet courageous enough for that escapade; however l love your crumb topped blueberry muffins. I bake them often for my family. Love your stories and recipes. I consider you as an old and dear family friend. You…be blessed.

Hello Steve,
Thank you so much for the wonderful recipes. So far I have only tried one of your recipes and have to admit although it tasted great but mine did not look as nice as yours, probably need more practice. Here are a couple of blueberry recipes I make in the summer.
Fanica

Hi Terry, Thank you for the question. That was a loaf of Blueberry Bread that I purchased from the place where I picked the blueberries. It’s a local place owned by a family friend. The loaf of bread was great, but they don’t make it themselves. I made a Blueberry Bread and posted the recipe here on Taste of Southern. Just type “Blueberry” in the SEARCH box on the top right of this page and you’ll bring up all of our Blueberry recipes, including the bread we made. I liked the bread that I made here, but it wasn’t much like what I purchased. Sorry I can’t provide that recipe, but do hope you’ll try the one we did make. Thanks for noticing, and thank you for your visit. I hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Hi Steve, This is my second season making your blueberry jam. It’s a wonderful website! My question is, since I ran out of jars, can I prepare the jam tonight by putting it in the refrigerator and canning it tomorrow? Thank you for your wonderful recipes and reply. God bless.

Hi Dorothy, As long as you heat it back up to full temp, you should be able to continue with the preserving process. Hopefully it will be of good consistency after cooking a little longer, but more than likely, you’ll be good to go. Thank you for the question. I hope you’ll visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

HI Steve,
I just want to thank you for that great recipe for Blueberry Jam. It worked out perfectly and taste great I will use it again. It was easy to make and gelled nicely. looking forward to more of your recipes. Thanks again, Kathy

Steve, thanks sooo much for this recipe! Quick and delicious! I am a beginner canner, having started last summer, but I love it! I especially appreciate your detailed instructions/pictures. You also seem like a really nice guy! Your website is now a must go to for me! Thanks again!

Steve, I have a cousin that always brings jars of blueberry and hot pepper jam to our reunion. Her suggested servicing is to pour the jam over cream cheese and serve with crackers. I enjoy it with my morning bagel. Hopefully it will give someone an idea for future use. Thank you for your website.

I enjoyed reading the blueberry jam recipe and especially the details you put into it. Thank you as I know for many including myself this is very helpful to those of us just getting our feet wet.

I have always wanted to learn how to can my own foods with a water-bath canner and a pressure canner. I discovered I could not use the weighted canners as I could not hear the pitch because of my hearing but have since purchased one with a dial, however, I have yet to use it.

No one in my family while living in the city all of my life has ever canned a thing as too many conveniences I guess. I am living the country life now for a handful of years and I am thoroughly enjoying the slower pace.

I wanted to share that I made my first strawberry jam in a boiling-water canner and it was a success. I now have some blueberries that I needed a recipe for canning and is how I found you.

I have two questions. First off, I thought all jams and jellies need the pectin and I recall your recipe doesn’t call for pectin. How will this affect the storage or quality of the jam without the pectin as I believe this is for the jelling or holding process? I would like to understand more about pectin if you can educate me there I will appreciate it as I am new to the home preserving process.

My second question is whether or not there is a way to preserve peach cobbler? I have found recipes online but those are not what I am looking for. I want to can the whole cobbler as if I would serve it right from the oven with the breading included. The recipes are plenty but I prefer my special cobbler but want to keep it on the shelf for a rainy day or to hand out without having to do anything else except to heat. Can you help me on this one?

Hi Toni, While I’d love to give you a great answer to your pectin question, it’s something that would need to be addressed in a post as opposed to a reply to your comment. Maybe we can go more in depth with it one day. Still, you can find a ton of info online and from your Cooperative Extension service. Just be sure you can trust the source of your information. As for my quick answer, you can cook most any type of berry or fruit down to a jam consistency, it just takes longer, and darkens the product. Pectin allows for jams to gel quicker, but it’s not necessary. The recipes for with and without however, are not as simple as just leaving it out. You’ll probably need more sugar. As for the cobbler. I’m not aware of any way to make the whole thing and can it for later. You can certainly make just the filling, such as in an apple pie filling, and then use it to make your cobbler. The bread would just get really mushy over time I suspect, even if it were possible. On the other hand, you can buy many frozen cobblers in the store, so I’d suggest that route instead. I hope this helps. Be Blessed!!! -Steve PS: Thanks for your question and keep up your canning adventures.

Huge thank you!! Steve, you are the best at writing jam recipes I have ever seen. Just made the blueberry and it is perfect. I have made it before but now with your detailed explanation I understand what and why. I just subscribed to your newsletter as I am becoming a fan of Taste of Southern. Time for a cookbook :).

Hi Heidi, Thank you for your comments. I happy to hear you tried our Blueberry Jam Recipe, and that it turned out well for you. We’re still about two weeks away from picking some local Blueberries in my area. I hope to be making some more jam myself very soon.

As for the cookbook, it’s long been a dream of mine. I haven’t given up on the idea. Maybe one day. Thank you for suggesting it.

I’m thankful you found us, and thankful that you shared your comment. I do hope you’ll visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Hi,Steve! I came across this recipe and it looks great. I’ve often thought about canning, but I’m not sure I’m ready to take the step. I still want to try making the jam, though. Can I freeze it, instead? Also, whether frozen or canned, how long should it keep once opened?

Hi Helene, You could certainly freeze the jam if desired. Ball Corporation makes a special pectin for freezing jams that you might want to check out. Once opened, you should refrigerate your jams. They will keep for several months in the refrigerator, if not even longer. I hope you’ll give canning a try. It’s a lot of fun, and you might even find yourself getting hooked on it. I did. Thank you for the question, I hope you’ll visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

I find that there is never any information regarding how much Fruit is required for many of the Jam/Preserve recipes I’m finding on the Internet. Most berries are sold in PINT sized containers. But the recipes don’t indicate how many PINTS are required for the recipe.
It would help if # of PINTS or QUARTS are indicated for the Fruit in the recipe.

Hi Patrick, A pint will typically consist of two cups, or 8oz each. Thus, 2 cups = one pint, etc. I hope this will help, but your point is noted. I appreciate your input and trust that you will visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

When the jam is gone, I keep the lids. Use them again for stuff you are NOT canning. I scratch the top with a church key, or just a small mark with a magic marker. You’ll know not to use that lid for canning.

What goes in those jars? Lots of stuff! Ice cream sauces, small spice mixes, etc. So you don’t have to buy more lids, reuse those that have done their jam, jelly and other preserving duty.

Blueberry jam doesn’t foam as much as other jams and jellies. When making other fruit jams, a teaspoon of butter will eliminate most of the foam. It works!

Really tired, so I’ll close for now. I have FIFTY POUNDS of wild blues to jamify tomorrow!

Hi Shona, Pectin is not required to make jam. It will help the jam to set quicker though, and keeps you from having to cook it for so long. When making jam, you’re basically just cooking it down to thicken it. The longer it cooks, the more liquid you remove, plus you have less product afterwards. Using the pectin helps the jam to set quicker which saves you more product. Not sure why you wouldn’t want to use it, but again, it’s not needed. Run a search for pectin to learn much more about it than I can reply to here. I hope you have fun with those berries, and hope you’ll let me know how your jam turns out. Do visit with us again… real soon. -Steve

Hi, I like the looks of your recipe. I wonder if this can be a looser jam? I have made blueberry jam the last two years both times using pectin, and the first time, I used the whole amount the recipe called for, the jam was much too firm for me. Last year I halved it but still would like it looser. Not as loose as a sauce but not so firm a spoon sticks up out of the jar. Can I shoot for less jelled phase in the plate test you mention in order to get a softer jam?

Hi Jo, Thank you for the question. You should have a good consistency even when using pectin. I suspect you may have overcooked it a bit too long, which causes it to get all gummy. I hate when that happens, but I’ve certainly done it myself. You can still eat it, it’s just not as smooth as we would like for it too be. Try cooking it less and see if that gives you what you’re looking for. I can’t go into it all here, but if it turns out to be too runny, you could open all the jars and cook it some more. You’d just need new LIDS to can it with again. I’d suggest you seek out some more information before remaking it though. It’s easy, but you’ll want to be sure you do it right. You might even need to add some more sugar second time around.

I hope this helps. Thank you for your question and be sure to visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

I made your blueberry jam yesterday, so good! what a treat to have more berries than sugar and without having to use pectin. Don’t get me wrong, i have nothing against pectin, but recipes that require pectin also require a lot of sugar. This jam tastes like blueberries, not sugar and blueberries!

Hi Paulette, we run about 300ft elevation around this area, so the same as you for our recipes.

I hope this helps, and Thank You for trying our Blueberry Jam recipe. I trust it will turn out well for you. I just made 8 half pint jars myself this past week. A friend picked and gave me several pounds, so I put them to good use.

I appreciate your visit, be sure to visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Hi Steve,
I made my “very first” canning of your detailed blueberry jam recipe. Thank you for the step-by step direction and this helped a lot particulary being a ” rookie” of canning. The only thing I modified from your wonderful was I added another 1 tsp of lemon juice because it a bit sweeter. In the future I will use less sugar if my blueeberries are sweeter than others. Thanks again, I knew I can always count on Southern recipe:)

Thank you for this wonderfully written and very descriptive recipe for blueberry jam. It encouraged me to finally give canning a go! I used wild blueberries that my husband and son picked on an outing, although I only had enough for a jar and a half. I didn’t have enough time to research what people do with leftover jam that doesn’t quite fill the jar, so I treated it the same as the full jar (only difference is the head space). What do you usually do with leftover jam? Will it be safe to eat?

Hi Dottie, Thank you for both your compliments and for your comments regarding Taste of Southern. I’m happy to hear that you’ve given our Blueberry Jam recipe a try, and that you’re getting started in canning. I hope you’ll keep it up.

You didn’t say just how much head space you actually had. As long as it’s not more than 1/2 inch, it should be OK. I’d just use that jar first, and it wouldn’t hurt to go ahead and place it in the refrigerator until you do get to start using it.

Most of the time, you will have some leftover product from your canning adventures. That just usually goes into a container with a lid and into the refrigerator to use first. It will still last a month or more, so use that up first and save the properly sealed jars for later.

I hope this helps. Thank you for your question and your support. I do hope you’ll stop by for another visit with us… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Hi Kelly, Thank you for your question. I’m glad you said you made the double batch, as I’m pretty sure that would be your problem. All of the recipes are pretty much considered to be “small batch” and need to be made that way. It does take more time, but its just what works. You’ll find all of the Extension Services, Ball Canning Books, and the like, highly suggesting that you never double a recipe.

It’s possible to re-do the jam, but you’ll need new LIDS to reseal the jars. I’d break the amount you made in half, and try heating it up again and proceeding from there. It’s more detailed than that though. I suggest you search out some reliable information on the Internet for how to do that, as it’s just more than I could get into here.

Of course, sometimes jams and jellies don’t always “set up” right away. It could be that after a couple of weeks, they might firm up more to your liking. I’ve experienced that, and really don’t know why it happens, just the nature of everything involved in the process I guess.

I hope it all works out for you. Keep me informed. Thank you for your visit and do stop by for another visit with us… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

We just started canning a few days ago and we couldn’t wait to try making jam. I found this recipe to be so easy and helpful. We are actually finishing it up as I write this but we can’t wait to taste it and try other berries.

I made this jam and it was horrible! I followed the directions exactly and the jam turned out a super thick, unspreadable blob. What happened. I’ve made other jams and preserves and they came out great.

Hi Debbie, I’m sorry to hear that you had problems with the jam recipe. It sounds like you cooked it a bit too long. It’s just a basic Blueberry Jam recipe, and I’ve overcooked jams and jellies before myself. I usually find that I can still use it, just doesn’t spread as easily as I’d prefer. Thank you for your question, I appreciate your comment and do hope you’ll keep working on your canning adventures. I hope you’ll also visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

You have a wonderful site. The instructions and photos makes the canning process simpler to understand for first timers like me.
Planning to make blueberry jam this evening. I dont have a rack to place in the cooking pot to seal the cans. I read your comment that says that a towel can be placed inside the pot. Will that work?

Hello Steve, I am about to make my first batch of blueberry jam using your wonderfully detailed recipe, but I am wondering how to proceed if I’m using frozen blueberries. It was a busy fall and I haven’t been able to get to this project until now. I heard that using frozen berries is fine (especially where blueberries are concerned). Do you have any thoughts on this? Many thanks! -Megan

Hi Megan, Thank you for your question. I think I’ve just found the answer to those two big bags of frozen blueberries that I have in MY freezer. As I understand it, you can use frozen blueberries, as long as they do not contain sugar or syrup already. If you’re like me, you just bag up the berries after picking them and toss them in the freezer without adding any sugar. The rest of the recipe, should be the same procedure.

Do let me know if you try it and how it turns out. You’ll probably get around to it before I do, so you could help some others that might be interested in doing the same thing. I appreciate your question and do hope it turns out well. Thank you for your visit and I hope you’ll stop by for another visit with us… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

I just made peach jam last night and boy is it delicious!!
Thanks so much for that recipe. I’d like to make the blueberry jam next but was wondering if I can halve the recipe to make 3 half-pint jars?
Thanks!!

Hi Sushmita, You shouldn’t have any problems halving the recipe. It’s always good to work with small batches at a time. I’m glad you’re trying some of our recipes and hope you will keep up the good work of canning up some “Summer in a Jar.” Thank you for your comments and do visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Hi Steve!! First timer here! Wonderful tutorial you have put together! Thank you! I was wondering if I could add some strawberries with the blueberries? Would that still turn out the same or is strawberry jam a different method? Like I said I am a total newbie but I’ve been toying with the idea of canning for a while. I absolutely love giving homemade gifts for occasions and jams would be perfect! Another question, I don’t have all the tools required but I think I can manage with what I have for now. Can I just put the jars right in the pot without a rack?
Thank you again! Take care 🙂

Hi Tiffany, I’m thankful that you have found Taste of Southern and welcome to our home on the Internet. I’m glad to hear that you’re thinking about trying some home canning projects. I really think you will enjoy it after you get over the initial time or two of going through the process. It can get a bit daunting the first time or so around when everything starts needing to be done all at one time it seems. But… you CAN do it.

As for mixing the strawberries and blueberries, I see no problem with that. Just try to keep the final amount of the combined fruit equal to the first amount called for in the recipe. I’ve never mixed any fruits so good luck with it and let us know how it turns out for you.

Now, about that canning rack. The purpose of the rack is to keep jars up off the bottom of the pot so water can circulate underneath the jars. It also prevents hot spots that might burn the jam inside the jars as they are processing. Some folks take some of the old metal bands and connect them together with string or plastic zip ties to form a makeshift rack in the bottom of the pot. At the very least, fold a tea towel and place it in the bottom so the jars aren’t sitting directly in contact with the bottom of the pot.

Garage sales, thrift stores etc. are often great sources for used canning items at great prices if you have access to those. I also suggest you visit your local Agriculture Extension Service for more information on canning. You didn’t list your location but this service is available pretty much throughout the United States. Many of them offer free use of canning pots, especially the more expensive pressure canning pots. Check your phone directory or the Internet to see if one is available.

I wish you all the best with your home canning and freezing adventures. Just don’t blame me when you get hooked on doing it… OK? Thanks for your questions and do visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Hi there Steve. I haven’t made jam in about 35 years so was very happy to see your online tutorial. It is a great refresher course and brought back memories of old. When I first made jam I couldn’t afford even the basic canning utensils so had to be very creative in order not to end up with lots of minor burns. It was a joyous occasion when i finally had a jar gripper and a canning funnel. Many thanks for taking the time to create instructions for us! Yeah…my 6th jar just popped!

Hi Ann, I’m glad to see you’ve stepped back into canning and congratulations on those new jars of Blueberry Jam. It’s nice to think we might just have helped you decide to give it a try again. Thank you for your comments and I do hope you’ll try some of our other recipes. Keep up the great work and be sure to visit with us again soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Thank you so much for posting this recipe and excellent instructions! Just made a beautiful batch (5 jars) of blueberry jam. Your step-by-step instructions and pictures gave me the little extra encouragement that I needed! Our local blueberry patch is bursting this year and now I have more delicious way to use them.

Hi Joyce from RI, Greetings from North Carolina. It’s comments like this that make posting our recipes worthwhile. I’m happy to hear that you’ve made our Blueberry Jam and that it turned out well for you. You’re very fortunate to have so many blueberries close at hand. Now you can enjoy them even after the local one’s are all gone. I’ll have another recipe for how to use those Blueberries posted very shortly. I hope you’ll check that one out and thank you for sharing your comments. Do stop by for another visit… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

I have always been too intimidated to try to make jam, but your directions made it seem like I could do it. I made the jam 2 nights ago & had so much fun I decided to make raspberry….before I had even tasted the blueberry. But when I tasted the blueberry….oh YUM! Now I can’t wait to taste the raspberry! I think I’m hooked!

Hi Alice, I’m so glad you got up the confidence to try our Blueberry Jam recipe. And look at you… making Raspberry Jam as well. It does indeed sound like you may be hooked, but that’s certainly a good thing. Now you can enjoy “summer in a jar,” all year long. I’m really glad to know the jam turned out well for you and I hope you’ll keep up the good work and keep me informed of all of your canning adventures. I’ll look forward to you coming back to visit with us… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

How wonderful to find this site! It especially made me happy to see those blueberries with the NC on them. I have a 60+ year old blueberry bush and have more berries than I know what to do with! I guess lots of family will be getting some of your jam for Christmas this year. Thanks for sharing!

Hi Joni, How fortunate you are to have a Blueberry bush and all those berries, I have to BUY mine. I’m jealous! Hopefully your family will realize just how lucky they are if they get one of your jars of jam for Christmas. When I started making mine, I quickly realized that any time someone gave you something they had preserved on their own… they must really like me. It takes a little effort to do it so you don’t just give it to anyone and everybody right? Keep up the good work and enjoy those berries while you have them. Oh yeah… stick with the Dukes Mayo, you’ll never go wrong. Nice blog, I wish you well with the homestead. Do drop by and visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Nice to find this recipe. I made raspberry jam without pectin a few weeks ago and it turned out perfect – really intense flavour. I’ve been getting in the habit of spreading my sugar out in a 9×13 casserole and heating it in the oven at 250 for fifteen or twenty minutes before mixing it with the berries.

This year seems to be a good one for blueberries – I’ve got blueberry wine, blueberry port and blueberry mead to get started on after this jam. I don’t know what I’d do without my freezer!

Hi Rob, Thank you for your comments. I hope you’ll give our recipe a try and that it turns out good for you. That’s an interesting idea with the sugar in the oven. I’ve never tried that, thanks for the tip. I’ve yet to even taste a blueberry this year. As I mentioned elsewhere, they’ve just recently started picking in my area. I’ve still got some in the freezer from last year and need to use those up first but hopefully I can try some fresh one’s pretty soon. I appreciate you taking the time to share your comments and I hope you’ll stop by for another visit in the near future. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Good morning Mr Gordon,
Thank you for your quick and easy recipe
Yesterday after Church my family and i went blueberry picking at our local blueberry patch.
When we got home I went straight to the computer to find a recipe, yours was the first one I came to and so after reading it, and the follow up questions and answers, decided to make it.
One batch was made with sugar and the other batch with honey (the honey is from a local honey farm).
This morning my husband asked “can I have some jam”?
So he opened a jar, ( I know it should sit longer but he really loves anything blueberry)!
He said it was delicious! ( he had the one made with honey) I tasted it also and it was quite good.
Thank you again for your step by step instructions, they were quick and easy and produced an amazing product.
Bless you Mr Gordon.
Darla Flake

Hi Darla,
Thank you for your kind comments and for taking the time to share your experience with our Blueberry Jam Recipe. I’m glad you gave the recipe a try. The addition of honey sounds really good although I’ve never tried that myself. They’re picking blueberries in my area at the present but I don’t know if I’ll get the chance to get some and make more jam this year or not. Maybe I’ll get the chance to try it with honey if I do some. Keep up the good work with your canning projects. I hope you’ll have loads of fun doing it and please stop by for another visit with us… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

I just wanted to thank you for this amazing tutorial on blueberry jam. I am giving it a shot today! I have been looking for a pectin-free jam recipe and they are so hard to find! I came across your site and this is perfect!

I just started making jam…last weekend, actually, and I have caught the bug. My very first 2 1/2 jars were strawberry and peach jam…without pectin. I have to say, it much easier and much more FUN than I expected! I have been toying with the idea of attempting canning as a way of preserving for about a year now, but was scared. The process just looked too involved and time-consuming and I was intimidated. I won’t lie. Then, last weekend, I ended up with strawberries and peaches and nothing to do with them. I can’t stand to see anything go to waste, so without benefit of any canning supplies except jars and lids, I went to it.

WOW! Even with me running back and forth from the computer to the kitchen, checking instructions, it only took about 2 hours from start to finish! (granted, the amount of fruit cooked down to only 2 1/2 half pint jars so I didn’t have much, but still…) I was amazed. And the jam was GOOD!

Today I am going to try your blueberry jam. (LOVE blueberries!) I have added a jar lifter and measuring tool to my arsenal and got pint jars this time around. I am toying with the idea of strawberry and blueberry jam as well…Fingers crossed!!

Hi Clare, Thank you so much for your kind words and compliments. Its always a thrill to realize someone else is jumping in and trying their hand at doing some canning. And, I’ve warned more than one person that it IS addictive. Lots of fun though. I think I missed all the Strawberries this year and my favorite Blueberry picking place just started picking today. Maybe I can work with some Blueberries myself before they all disappear. I highly suggest that you look for some classes in your area on canning. The Agriculture Extension Service in your area will probably have some and they are very reasonable to attend. Those helped me a lot and I still go to them just to try to keep up to date on any changes. I always meet some of the nicest people as well. Best of luck with all of your canning adventures, I’ll look forward to more reports on some of your other projects. Keep growing that collection of “tools.” Thank you also for the link from your site, best wishes on those books you’re working on. Remember us when you become famous… OK? Thank you again and do stop by for more visits real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Hi Lidia-Maria, The sugar is just a sweetener and honey can be used instead. Having said that, I have never made any with just honey but I understand it is pretty tasty and works pretty good. As for how much you’ll need, that depends on your personal taste more than anything. Start out with about 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup and as it begins to cook down, carefully taste it (it’s hot remember) and see if you like it or if you need to add more. Just keep a close watch on it as it thickens up so you get that part right and you shouldn’t have any problems. I’d love to know how it turns out for you. Good luck with your canning adventures and do come back and visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

I am a newbie and recently went blueberry picking for the first time. I had reinforcements and didn’t realize I’d be coming home with 30lbs of blueberries! So I went out last night and purchased everything I needed and researched recipes. I liked yours the best so I am gonna “give it a go” today.

My question is, how many cups of whole blueberries makes 6 cups of crushed? Its not that I mind making extra, I just want to make sure I make enough 🙂

Thank you for your question. You will probably need about 9-10 cups of whole berries to equal 6 cups of crushed. According to http://www.blueberrycouncil.org, there are about 3 cups per pound so you have a BUNCH of berries don’t you? They are very easy to freeze as well so, you’ll have no problem with ways on how to preserve and keep them. I hope you get this information in time to help you out. I’ll look forward to hearing about your canning adventures and hope you’ll come back and share with us how it all turns out for you. I’m glad you found Taste of Southern and I hope you’ll come back for another visit… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Hi Steve! Thank you for responding. Although I went ahead already and figured it out, (I just needed an extra bowl for the extra mashed blueberries :)I do want to tell you that the recipe worked out great! I did run into a small problem and ran out of regular sugar around my third batch. I ended up using 2 cups regular granulated sugar and 2 cups packed brown sugar. Although it jelled properly when I tested it on the cold plate it didn’t set like my other batches after 24 hrs. Not worried though, the taste was great and so I decided to make french toast for dinner to try it on and YUM! My new recipe for blueberry syrup 🙂 Thank you so much, the pictures were a great help. Enjoy your weekend.

Hi Melissa, Glad to hear you got through all of those Blueberries. That was a bunch of them for sure. The brown sugar addition sounds interesting and, it could turn out that even though they didn’t set up right away that, they might do so in an week or so. That happens sometimes. Congratulations on jumping in and doing some canning. I hope you’ll keep me informed of how your future canning adventures turn out for you. Thank you for your comments and please stop by for another visit with us… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

May I ask why you don’t use any pectin in this recipe? I am a newbie and hope to make some blueberry Jam as soon as it comes into season and I have been researching a lot of recipes which most of them do use pectin. Just asking

Hi Linda, Thank you for your question. Pectin is mostly used as a thickening agent to help jams and jellies “set” more quickly. It certainly doesn’t hurt to use it in your recipes but, to some folks, it adds a little different taste to the finished product. It’s nothing highly noticeable but keeping things as minimal as possible, I don’t always use it. The Official Ball Blue Book to Preserving, copyright 2010, Page 32, lists a variety of berries that can be made into jam using just the berry and sugar – no pectin. So, it’s not just something I do myself.

It may take a bit longer to cook the jam down to a gel stage so you just need to study up a bit on how to do that. You may also find that it foams a bit more without pectin and its recommended that you skim that off before you place your jams into jars. I do hope you’ll give the recipe a try and that it will turn out well for you. As with anything, practice makes perfect and learning how to get to just the right gel point is really the main concern when making jams and jellies. Too early and it will be runny and too long and it will come out gummy. But, you can do it and I highly encourage that you just jump right in and give it a go. Maybe try a small batch or two and give it a couple of weeks to set then try another batch. We’ve all been there as beginners and we’ve all made and continue to make mistakes. I hope this helps and I’ll look forward to a good report from you once you get going. Canning and preserving may turn out to be a bit addictive though… but it’s loads of fun and something the family can enjoy year round. Best wishes on your adventures. I do hope you’ll stop by for a visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Hi, Thank you for this helpful tutorial; it was just what I was looking for. I do have a question about the gelling point. About how long does it take to reach that point? Could you give an approximate time, like 20-30 minutes? I just finished making it, but it never seemed to reach the desired “gel” using the cold plate method. It simmered and I stirred for probably 25 minutes. I probably have blueberry syrup now instead of jam, but it sure is delicious!! Thanks again.

Hi Susan, Thank you for your questions. The cooking time will of course vary from one batch to the other. You’re basically cooking more and more water out of the mixture and getting it down to the point to where it will gel properly. You were about right with your time of 25-35 minutes on average.

If you placed the jam on a cold plate and pulled your finger through it, unless it just immediately ran back together, you’ll probably be good. You can also test by raising the spoon you’re stirring with, up about 12 inches above the pot and watching how the liquid flows off the spoon. You need it to sort of sheet up on the back of the spoon or, as it drops off, watch for the drops to get down to about two drops running together as it drops off the spoon.

Sometimes, jelly and jam doesn’t set up right away. It can even take a week or two weeks for it to set. You’ll be able to watch this in the jar by tilting the jar and seeing if the mixture still looks like water or if it has started to move slowly in the jar and thickened.

It’s also possible to re-do the jam if it just never gels and you don’t want to keep all that syrup around. As long as the jars properly sealed, you can open them, empty the contents back into the pot and cook it down some more. It’s a bit of work because you’ll have to wash and sterilize the jars and go through the whole water bath process again. Just depends on how many jars of jam you made first go around. It’s really a little more complicated than that as sometimes you might need to add some more sugar or even pectin if you used it. The “Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving” has the information you will need to do this. But, as mentioned, as long as the jars sealed, even if its just syrup, it should be safe to keep for a year or longer.

Just remember that sometimes we all have batches that turn out wrong, it’s just a part of the process so don’t give up on it. I do hope this helps. I hope you’ll enjoy your jam and I’ll look forward to you following up with whether or not it sets properly after a couple of weeks. Thanks again for the question and for your comments. I hope you’ll visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve

Hi Scott, Thank you for your question. If you remove the seeds and pulp of the fruit, you’re making jelly and not jam. Jelly is made from just juice while jam is made using crushed fruit. Its just more of a way to describe the finished product I guess. While making the two are very similar, I don’t see where there would be much difference in making jelly but, I’ve never made it from Blueberries. Perhaps I can give it a try this year myself. While I’ve given you the step-by-step photos of the proces, any packaged pectin you find will have recipes on making jelly. Just follow that for the proper sugar to juice ratio that you’re interested in and you should be good to go. I’ll be interested in knowing how it turns out for you so check back in if you give it a try. Thanks again, I hope this helps. I do hope you’ll stop by for a visit again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! –Steve